TOPLESS WOMEN TALK ABOUT THEIR LIVES

SYNOPSIS:
A lousy film script written by Ant (Ian Hughes) is discarded on a
splendid New Zealand beach (next to where they shot The Piano) by
Liz (Danielle Cormack), and found by a German tourist, who takes
it back home to his filmmaking friend – and it gets made, in
German. It’s called Topless Women Talk About Their Lives. By
the time it is shown in New Zealand, Liz has fallen pregnant and
misses her appointment for an abortion. Stuck with the prospect
of a baby, she scrambles through the pregnancy while two men in
her life scramble through their life. One, Neil (Joel Tobeck) the
father of the baby who has been out of the relationship for a
while, tries to work out how to deal with it, and fumbles his way
back into her life, believeing he loves her. Another, the
shallow, confused young buck, Geoff (Andrew Binns), tries to fall
in love with whichever woman is nearest. Ant, meanwhile, is
becoming increasingly paranoid and dangerous, in response to his
film being unappreciated. These characters, and some of their
friends, struggle to find happiness in a contemporary urban
setting, but find only compromises, mistakes – and fate.

"The greatest achievement of this film is that it appears
effortless. Behind its easy, almost nonchalant façade lies the
agony and the ecstacy of human existence – as experienced in
Auckland by a handful of 20+ young people. The agony of failed
love and ambiguous love, the agony of loneliness, the ecstacy of
sex and the discovery of maturity. But none of this is even
mentioned. These are just people living life, coping as best they
can. Filmed over six months to coincide with Cormack’s real
life pregnancy, TWTATL is a blast of fresh, cool film air from
the Land of the Long White Cloud, with a beguiling mix of comedy
and drama. What it does well is create emotional catch-points for
the audience, turning what may have been clever, low budget
experimentation into meaningful observation. Some will want to
change aspects of the ending, others will recognise it as a
truthful, if painful, representation of life’s bitchier moments."
Andrew L. Urban

"This spontaneous, brash, funny and vibrant film, brings
to life a collection of colourful characters who will make you
laugh, cry as they draw you into their world. Harry
Sinclair’s naturalistic style is totally engaging, and
places gutsy human emotions against droll situations and the odd
cute touch here and there. The mood is flippant but the substance
is rich, with characters drawn from real life. Danielle Cormack
is riveting as Liz, heading up a superb cast who deliver terrific
naturalistic performances. Young and fresh, Topless Women has a
lively upbeat soundtrack in keeping with the mood which swings
and fluctuates like the tide."
Louise Keller

"This funny, fresh-faced little New Zealand film will
offer the discerning movie goer something a little different this
Xmas from the usual Hollywood fare. Topless Women, which recently
scooped the New Zealand Film Awards, is the kind of parochial
little gem that you don't find very often, a film that is very
much a part of New Zealand culture, yet whose themes are broad in
tone. Beautifully acted and put together, Topless Women explores
the notions of cultural cinema, along with the foible of
relationships, in an unpretentious and witty film. Here is a wry
view of a complex world that is hilarious and heartfelt, packaged
together in a free-spirited independent work."
Paul Fischer